You must visit this book & food heaven
My ultimate Bologna guide.
Buongiorno da Bologna, Italia! If you ever find yourself here, these are the places you must go, in my opinion of course. This is a town known as “the red, the learned, and the fat” for its jam-colored buildings (and historical communist presence), its student population (home to Europe’s oldest university), and above all its food (mortadella, parmigiano reggiano, tortellini whose shape was allegedly inspired by Venus’s belly button).
Below are just a few of my favorite places in this delicious city, whose blood orange edifices look like pastries and its sunsets buckets of Lambrusco. I’ve now had the chance to spend about two months in Bologna in total—this current trip has been largely dedicated to writing, because my next book partially takes place here 🥹
Bologna City Guide for Food & Book Lovers
Lunch/Dinner:
Trattoria da Me (get the cheese gelato, trust me)
Da Cesari (make a reservation)
Sfoglia Rina (get the tortelloni con burro e salvia, the lasagne, and the tortellini in crema. Also their ricotta and fig cake is insane. It’s totally worth the line. Or you can get takeout and eat in a piazza!)
Mo! (sandwich shop, go to the one on Via S. Vitale for a shorter line)
Via con Me (chill neighborhood joint)
La Drogheria della Rosa (quirky kitschy vibes)
Aperitivo/Tagliere:
Simoni (dine in or get takeout and bring it to Osteria del Sole around the corner for a super authentic bolognese experience. Just don’t pee at Osteria del Sole, it’s a literal hole in the floor)
Camera a Sud
Le Serre at Giardini Margherita (outdoor garden cafe with periodic cultural events. Also bring a book and read by the pond—there are turtles!)
Cocktails/Wine:
Enoteca Faccioli (natural wine)
Volare (cocktails)
Macondo (cocktails)
Coffee:
Aroma (speciality coffee, insanelyyyy delicious)
Lampadina (hipstery queer cafe)
Zoo (really nice work space and good coffee)
Terzi (not my personal style of coffee but super traditional Italian and beloved by locals)
Gelato:
Cremeria Cavour
Cremeria Santo Stefano
**Typically “cremerias” are more legit than “gelaterias!”**
Shop:
Reclectic (vintage)
Double Trouble (leather)
Atelier Terra Rossa (pottery)
Bottega di Decori (cottagecore decor)
IGOR (queer owned book/plant shop)
Florentini + Baker (shoes, they cost twice as much if you buy them online!)
StregaTé (artisanal teas and condiments)
Activities:
the Delicious Bologna food tour (tell Mattia I sent you!!)
Hike or take the little San Luca express to the San Luca sanctuary
Take a stroll through Piazza Santo Stefano, and grab a spritz (be sure to visit the market here the second Sunday of the month)
And now I will gatekeep my two best kept secrets for just the paid subs bc they’re too precious to me lol
